March 22, 2023 by D. Wallace Peach

Impressions of Spring #tankatuesday

Le Jardin de l’artiste à Giverny by Claude Monet
English: *The Artist’s Garden at Giverny*,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Artist%27s_Garden_at_Giverny

Impressions of Spring

beyond March’s window
limbs bare weathered bones
hoary fingers splayed in grim supplication
for an hour’s sun-shower
where only moss grows

last year’s papery stalks
lie swathed in brown leaves
the soggy gray detritus of irises
where rain drums a heartbeat
on dull amber grass

yet hidden in the loam
the earth awakens
pledging iris leaves and buds on cherry trees
an impression of spring
dappled with violet

Monet’s garden is not how my landscape looks at all. Here on the mountain, spring daffodils are weeks away. But there are hints of green, a new shoot here and there, leaving the impression that spring is on its way.

Ekphrastic poetry is written in response to a piece of art. Colleen Chesebro chose this prompt after seeing it on Rebecca Budd’s blog: Chasing Art.

I wrote a Double Ennead, a syllabic form created by Colleen. Each of the three stanzas has five lines with a syllable count of 6/5/11/6/5, (33 syllables, giving the entire poem a total of 99).

To read more responses to the challenge, learn about syllabic poetry, or submit your own poem, stop by Colleen’s blog: Wordcraft Poetry .

March 18, 2023 by D. Wallace Peach

At the Mirror Blog Share: Sighs of Solitude

Today I’m sharing a post from Jude Itakali. Jude writes fabulous poetry: freeform, syllabic form, and frequently a combination of the two blended with poetic prose. His posts are often like journeys, leading his readers along a path through his thoughts and feelings. Sighs of Solitude is a piece of Tanka Prose, a syllabic form in response to Colleen’s Wordcraft Tanka Tuesday challenge. It’s beautiful.

Jude was also incredibly kind to give a shout-out for The Necromancer’s Daughter. I was delighted and honored by the gesture. I hope you enjoy Jude’s mesmerizing talent.

Sighs of Solitude

by Jude Itakali

sighs of solitude
listen to conflict’s whispers
reconciling depths
some woes come from good intent
rebirths that will never die

In the deep stillness, I ponder scars long etched in my blemishfree beginnings, healed yet forever barren. I ignore the itch of scabs…

(continue reading Sighs of Solitude)

March 11, 2023 by D. Wallace Peach

Entering The Zone

I don’t know about you, but for me, the creative process requires a lengthy visit to “The Zone.” If you’re an artist of any kind, you probably know what I’m talking about, surely sense the obsessive urge, the quiver of excitement at the prospect of exploring undiscovered shores. My creative muse resides there, tantalizing and intoxicating, and she demands my undivided attention.

I love each foray into the Zone—despite its consumption of my life. It’s creative gluttony, stuffing my face with words, gobbling down characters, disgorging pathos. When I dive into the Zone, I’m not myself. I’m immersed in my craft, drowning in a taste of pure manna like an addict. The rest of the world fades into the hazy horizon as the Zone awakens that right brain craving.

As a writer, this is especially true during my first draft when a story’s taking shape. Within the Zone, unfamiliar scenes tap from my fingertips and uncooperative characters demand a voice. A fickle wind pushes my plot, requiring vigilance to stay on course. As an adventurer, I’m on my own, trying to make sense of an untold tale before I return to my ordinary life, take a long overdue shower…wash loads of stinky laundry…vacuum blankets of dog hair…make dinner for a gaunt spouse surviving on snack food.

Fortunately, my visits to the Zone are temporary, and I recognize the pattern well enough now that I can plan ahead. “Okay, everybody,” I announce to the family, “I’m heading into the Zone for a few months. See ya.” My eyes droop and I make a pouty face as if I’m going to miss them, but inside I’m giddy as a new mom on a night out. Party time for me and my laptop!

Here’s a typical conversation when I’ve entered the Zone:

Husband: “Blah blah…dinner…blah blah…oil change…blah blah blah?”—long pause—“I might as well live alone.”

Me: “Hmm, what?”

Sad, but true.

With my outline done for the next tale, I’m ready for another jaunt into the Zone. The Weaver’s Tale (my working title) is pure fantasy about a winter that refuses to end. Does that sound familiar to some of you? By the end of February in Oregon, we should be mowing the lawn, not shoveling snow. It’s March, for goodness sake!

Fortunately for us, the seasons still change. My winter’s tale will unfold with spring’s blooming, grow with the weeds in my summer garden, and come to ripeness in autumn. That’s the plan anyway – to emerge from the Zone when the snow begins to fall. Tomorrow, I dive into Chapter One. I can’t wait!

March 1, 2023 by D. Wallace Peach

February Book Reviews

This was a great month of reading, and I have some wonderful books to share. All but one of these books are written by indie authors, and I have to say, the talent in this community is amazing. Every month, I’m impressed almost beyond words. I hope everyone is up for some great reading.

February’s reviews include my 4 and 5-star reads of two dark short story collections, an international thriller, a romance novella, paranormal/occult fiction, a Christian thriller, experimental fiction, and an Edgar Allen Poe retelling.

Click on the covers for Amazon global links.

*****

At the End of it All by Suzanne Craig-Whytock

Have you ever, while reading a collection of stories, jotted down your favorites to mention in a review? And when you finish the book, you realize that you just jotted down the entire table of contents? That’s this book.

Craig-Whytock is a marvelous writer of short stories, and I couldn’t wait to read her new batch. I wasn’t disappointed. Each offering packs a powerful punch, especially if you’re looking for skillful storytelling, lots of variety, and a dark twist. The 27 stories in this collection are short, some closer to flash fiction, and the book is a little over a 2-hour read which I inhaled in one sitting.

The stories have a mesmerizing touch of darkness, but this isn’t necessarily horror, at least not the gory kind. There’s a mixture of creepy paranormal tales like “Amphitrite,” which ends poorly, and “Night Terrors,” which ends well.

The impact of chaos on children and their disordered thinking is evident in a number of stories, and my favorites were “Misophonia” and “Resurrection.” Revenge is satisfying in “The Woods are Lovely, Dark and Deep.” And madness rears its head in “Shelf Sitter.”

There are wrenching tales of indifference as well as those that reflect deep empathy, such as “Landscape with the Fall of Icarus” and “The High Seas.” Then there are tales of death and loss that pull at the heartstrings like “Fist Full of Dirt,” and the intense (tissue-alert) tear-jerker that I just loved: “Heading for Shore.”

The author also includes a three-part story “Nomads of the Modern Wasteland.” I wouldn’t have minded if this dystopian story had a lot more parts! And finally, one that left me chuckling: “Mr. Death comes to Town.”

See what I mean? So many stories to enjoy. Highly recommended.

*****

Feeling Human by Sheri J. Kennedy

Jac has a hyper-sensitivity to the emotional energy of other people, a barrage so intense that he spent much of his youth screaming. His life settled down when his mother abandoned him at his grandfather’s isolated ranch, leaving yet another set of psychic scars on his young mind.

When his grandfather dies, Jac inherits an alien book that steals his body and installs his consciousness in the mind of another person, then another and another, passed from body to body through touch. Thus begins a fascinating journey through the lives of multiple strangers, male and female, young and old, loving and lost, where Jac learns to understand the depth and complexity of human lives and emotions.

The alien rationale for the book’s existence was a little convoluted for me, but that part is only a few pages. Once Jac begins his journey, the book is riveting and extremely well written without the slightest confusion, a feat since Jac is constantly switching hosts. Along with Jac, readers get to observe each host’s thoughts and emotions, but we also get to feel Jac’s reactions.

Every character is deeply drawn, and the result, for me, was a pervading sense of compassion. Except for one unusual case, Jac is incapable of communicating with or influencing his host. His role is to observe and learn, and often he’s transferred to the next person before we find out what happened with the last. I really liked all the open-ended possibilities. They relate beautifully to the ongoing stories of real people we come across every day as we go about our business.

I can’t help but think that the construction of this book was an ambitious undertaking, but the author pulls it off with flying colors. The genuine humanness presented in the array of characters, their circumstances and emotional experiences, is moving. Highly recommended to readers who enjoy a deeply human story and want to try something different. (KIndle Unlimited.)

*****

A Peril in Ectoplasm by Teagan Riordain Geneviene

This was a super read. Daphne is a medium, engaged to a Spanish count, cared for by her loyal housekeeper Maisy, and plagued by the demanding Mrs. Smith, a grieving mother who insists that Daphne contact Smith’s deceased child. Under pressure from her fiancé, Daphne proceeds with multiple seances even though something isn’t right and each contact drains her health. A young woman joins the household with a connection that just might hold off the forces of darkness and save her employer’s life.

The pace is snappy, and I read this book in two sittings. Geneviene writes vibrant characters and these are no exception, their personalities distinct and engaging. Maisy was my favorite, an eavesdropper who, despite her station, is a powerful ally to Daphne. Even Count Crespo, who isn’t particularly likable, is nuanced.

Descriptions are rich with a strong sense of place, in this case, a mansion in Coral Gables, Florida. This writer is also talented in applying details and dialog that point to a particular era, and I found the read highly visual. I have no qualms about recommending this book to readers who enjoy paranormal/occult stories with fun characters and a fast-paced plot.

*****

With this Heart by Jacquie Biggar

Romance fans are going to love this novella. It’s got bridesmaids, beautiful dresses, and wedding plans. It’s got cute kids, loving dads, and even a baby Bambi. But there’s also some drama, and despite the best of intentions, happily ever after isn’t guaranteed.

Jaden and Annie are engaged, and with their wedding a few weeks away, Jaden takes his ten-year-old son, Chris, fishing. He wants to enjoy some bonding time with the child he didn’t know he had. What starts out as an adorable outing ends up as a harrowing experience, and worried about her son, Annie loses it. The wedding is off.

This is a fun way to spend an hour. Biggar writes a good tale with engaging characters, and the kids in her stories are frequently irresistible. For fans of her Wounded Hearts series (which I’ve read end to end), it’s a welcome chance to visit with most of the characters of Tidal Falls and see how their lives are going. Highly recommended to romance readers looking for a quick read. (Kindle Unlimited)

*****

Story of a Stolen Girl by Pat Spencer

Eighteen-year-old Darby Richardson and her college roommate get an invite to a private gambling club. Darby leaves to get breakfast with one of the patrons and disappears into the world of human trafficking and sex slavery. Her mom, Nina is beside herself with fear. She begins a relentless effort to find her missing daughter that includes law enforcement agencies, private investigators, social media, and television. Her story reaches the highest office of the US government, and yet no one seems able or willing to get the job done. The only recourse she has is to rescue Darby herself.

The book is a thriller with a definite time crunch. The action is frighteningly realistic but most of the coercion and brutality (and all of the rape) occur off-stage. There isn’t any graphic sex or violence, so readers can focus on the complexities of the investigation and ultimate rescue. It’s a tough subject, so I appreciated the way the author handled it.

The story does go into some detail about a drug called Devil’s Breath used in kidnappings. It’s scary stuff that leaves its victims compliant and without memories of what happened to them. The perfect drug for the slave/sex trade. And it was convincing enough to make me look it up. Yes, it’s real. That alone will give a reader the creeps.

This is a page-turner with a strong plot and engaging characters. I appreciated Darby’s guts even though she wasn’t able to free herself. Nina’s daring was admirable, and her ultimate plan wasn’t as easy to execute as she thought it would be. I liked that everything kept going wrong for her.

The author makes a strong statement about human trafficking with some frightening statistics about its prevalence in all corners of the world. One of her points is that this could happen to any family. She reinforces her warnings and outrage in an afterword with a call to arms. Highly recommended to readers who enjoy fast-paced thrillers. (Kindle Unlimited)

*****

Vampire of the Midnight Sun by Priscilla Bettis

I read the two short stories in this book in under an hour, and it was a great way to pass the time. The first story, “Vampire of the Midnight Sun,” was my favorite, a thriller loaded with suspense as two friends are stuck in the Alaskan wilderness and attempting to walk to civilization. One of them is falling apart physically. The other is physically strong but desperate for human blood. The tension in this tale escalates until the last line. I was riveted and late to an appointment because I HAD to read to the end before leaving the house.

The second story, “The Fire Witch and the Cowboy,” deals with the threat of wildfires on the Texas plains. As a fire approaches the town of Dusty Bend, Henderson, the local coward, convinces the widow Vandermeer to let them use her train to fight the flames. She agrees, but they have history, and things don’t go as planned. I connected more with the characters in the first story compared to this one, but the tale is intense, the chaos easy to follow, and the fire scenes are truly horrifying. Readers who are looking for a couple of short horror stories can’t go wrong with this selection. Highly recommended.

*****

Redemption: A Father’s Fatal Decision by Gwen M. Plano

Lisa and Trace’s father was an abusive murderer and an international criminal, but when he’s killed, they begin a hunt for answers about his secret life and the reasons for his death. While their mother recovers from gunshot wounds in the hospital, she feeds them clues, and together with their childhood friend Ryan, they begin unraveling the mystery, finding secret messages and puzzle pieces everywhere they look.

The trio has one ally, but otherwise, they don’t know whom to trust, including law enforcement. Their mother’s home is ransacked, their hotel room is bugged, and they’re constantly tailed. They make a good team: personable, supportive of each other, and easy to root for. They’re also smart, their efforts highly successful and conclusions rarely mistaken. At one point they’re referred to as “The Sherlocks,” which I thought was perfect since, for me, the read leaned more toward a “cozy” thriller than an all-out nail-biter. There’s plenty of tension, but modest danger and minimal violence.

This present-tense story is told from the third-person perspectives of the three main characters. The pace is speedy throughout the book with short intermissions for Lisa and Trace to reflect on their childhood and how it impacted their lives. Themes of family dysfunction, redemption, atonement, and forgiveness unfold in these moments, setting the stage for further revelations and a heartwarming conclusion. The book has a Christian slant during these scenes, but it’s not preachy. Recommended to readers who enjoy cozy mysteries, sleuthing, and thrills, and like a solid message about letting go and healing from the past.

*****

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher

This is one creepy tale. It’s not in-your-face horror, but it definitely makes the skin crawl. The book is a retelling of Poe’s short story “The Fall of the House of Usher,” which the author didn’t think was long enough and didn’t answer all her questions. I haven’t read the original and now I might.

Alex Easton arrives at the Usher home after receiving a letter that his childhood friend Madeline Usher is unwell. She not only looks on the verge of death, but her brother Roderick is also suffering, and the house…well the house is falling apart, damp and peeling, invaded by mold and a strange spreading fungus that looks like fish gills. There’s a creepy pond on the property as well as creepy animals dragging themselves around. Did I mention this book is creepy? It gave me the heebie-jeebies.

Alex enlists the help of an older woman who studies mushrooms and an American doctor residing in the home to care for Madeline. Time is of the essence to figure out what eerie malady is consuming the Ushers and their home, as well as to prevent it from spreading.

The writing is excellent and the pace moves along quickly. Alex carries the first-person POV, and he’s the driver behind finding answers to all his questions. The other characters are fully drawn with a range of distinct personalities. The biology of fungus gets a fair amount of attention, and I found it fascinating (and creepy, of course).

This is an entertaining, well-crafted afternoon’s read, and I highly recommend it to fans of Poe, and readers of atmospheric horror and plain old creepy stories.

*****

Happy Reading!

February 24, 2023 by D. Wallace Peach

Never Prim #tankatuesday

Portrait of Lady Agnew of Lochnaw (1865-1932) by John Singer Sargent, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Never Prim

Prim

Not she

Reposed so

Raising eyebrows

She flouts decorum

A curve of thigh exposed

Draped like silk upon her chair

She dares me to risk her boldness

My paintbrush craves her devil may care

Spellbound, I tarry, swayed by temptation

The authenticity of her essence

Her rebuff of feminine bindings

My colors bow to her allure

A force to be reckoned with

She teases with her smile

My intrepid muse

Her brazen gaze

Scandalous

Never

Prim

Isn’t this an amazing piece of art? To me, Lady Agnew’s posture and expression convey a dauntless challenge to acknowledge her power, her being. I wondered what the artist thought. Did he expect a woman properly dignified, stiff, and prim? Did he love her dare as much as she?

I love these Ekphrastic challenges. Ekphrastic poetry is written in response to a piece of art. Colleen chose this prompt after seeing it on Rebecca Budd’s blog: Chasing Art.

I wrote a stacked/double etheree, which is comprised of twenty lines with a syllable count per line of 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10, 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1. This poem looks like a diamond.

To read more responses to the challenge, learn about syllabic poetry, or submit your own poem, stop by Colleen’s blog: Wordcraft Poetry .

February 20, 2023 by D. Wallace Peach

I’m Traveling Today

I’m on the road today, visiting two blogs. Comments are closed here, but you can catch me at one or both.

First Stop:

Sally Cronin, blogger and writer extraordinaire, is sharing posts from our 2022 archives and today’s my turn. She’s a wonderful supporter of our community, and on the off chance that you haven’t visited her eclectic site, I encourage you to stop by. Today, she’s sharing my post from last summer’s vacation: “Canadian Rockies Haiku.”

Second Stop:

I’m also hanging out at Story Empire with another post on “Writing the End.” This month I’m sharing 7 out of 14 tips for writing a satisfying ending to our stories. If you have the time or interest, I invite you to stop by to check out the post and browse posts on a wide variety of writing-related topics by some talented authors: “Writing the End, Part IV“

Thanks for the visit, and I’ll see you around! Have a beautiful week.

February 13, 2023 by D. Wallace Peach

Interview with a Gargoyle

I’ve never met a gargoyle before, let alone interviewed one, so despite the invite, I’m a little nervous when it shows up at my door. It’s one thing to make it a character in my novella. It’s entirely another to look into those shiny black eyes in person.

The gray monster is the size of a five-year-old but looks like it could bench-press my car. It has horns, claws, and leathery batwings, complete with hooks at the joints. Pointy yellow teeth jut from its thin-lipped muzzle, and I hope it’s friendly.

I’m tempted to call the whole thing off, but behind him, a pretty brown-skinned character is sweeping her long dreadlocks behind her shoulders. She’s wearing an India-print skirt, love beads, and combat boots, and a giant jar of peanut butter is tucked under one arm. She sticks out her hand. “I’m Tali.”

I reach over the gargoyle and shake her hand at neck height. “It’s nice to meet you in person. Thanks for coming with…”

“Zaahmaazigh,” the creature says.

Tali smiles. “You can just call him Zam.”

“It’s a he?”

“Apparently. Though, to be honest, I haven’t checked.”

I invite them in. Zam waddles past me and claws his way onto my sofa. Tali plops down next to him and opens her jar. “He’s always hungry. He loves Girl Scout cookies, but since he eats with his mouth open, crumbs get everywhere. This will hold him over without the mess. I think.”

The gargoyle digs his clawed fingers into the peanut butter and smears it into his mouth, mostly.

“Well, let’s get started.” I peel my gaze from the spectacle and open my notepad, ready to write his answers. “Thanks for dropping by, Zam. Can you tell me a little about yourself?”

“Oh, sorry!” Tali tucks a stray dread behind her ear. “I can understand him a little, but yes or no questions work best.”

I look down at my useless questions, unsurprised. “Okay, Zam, let’s start here. From what I understand, you were a prisoner of the serpent god Damballah.”

“Sss.”

Tali translates, “That means yes.”

“And it was a voodoo prayer written in the margins of your mother’s Bible that freed you into our time.”

“Sss.”

“1972, actually,” Tali clarifies. “The book was hidden in a cottage next to a lighthouse. I read the passage, and the next thing I know, Zam shows up. He freaked me out. And Daballah was worse. That’s one scary god you do not want to cross.”

“Uff.”

“That means no.” She shrugs as Zam shoves his whole hand into the jar and licks his knobby knuckles. “I think Zam’s grateful for everything that happened. Speaking for myself, I could have done without the whole psycho ordeal.”

“So, Zam,” I ask, “did you enjoy being the star of the story?”

“Sss. Algae Eeggh sauv Zaahm.”

“Aww.” Tali rubs the gargoyle’s head between his horns. “He calls me Algae. And that Egg sound is Greg. He’s saying we saved him. But he saved us too. It’s a cool story when it isn’t terrifying.”

“Sauv boag.”

“Yup, we saved the boat too. We think. Time travel can get tricky.”

I watch Zam’s long tongue polish the inside of the jar. “Well, I don’t want you two to give too much away. Let’s see…. Here’s a question. Can you actually fly with those wings?

The gargoyle’s wings twitch but remain folded against his back. He eyeballs my kitchen. “Oood?”

“No more food.” Tali hustles to her feet and clutches Zam’s hand. “We should go before he raids your fridge. Or asks Damballah to suck us all into a nightmare adventure. You wouldn’t believe the potential for disaster, and once he starts….”

The creature’s lower jaw juts, and his eyes narrow into obsidian slits. A guttural growl rumbles from his chest. Tali crouches and whispers into one of his flattened ears, “I have Thin Mint cookies in the bug for the trip back to Harbor Pointe.”

Zam’s long ears perk up. He leaps from the sofa, and his hand rips from Tali’s grasp. His black wings flap, knocking over a lamp and upending a chair as he scrambles for the door. “Oogeez!”

“Hey, a new word!” Tali tosses me a grin and scurries after him. “Zam, wait!”

They’re gone in a flash, and I’m sitting on the sofa, wondering what just happened. As Tali’s VW bug chugs down the driveway, I right the furniture and throw the empty jar into the recycling bin. Back to editing. Now I know why this book is so out of control.

February 8, 2023 by D. Wallace Peach

“The Last Drive” by John Howell Book Tour

Today’s my day to host John Howell and rave about his new paranormal thriller, The Last Drive. John is one of my colleagues at Story Empire where he shares his knowledge about the craft of writing. If you’ve visited his active blog, you already know he writes flash fiction, shares the goings-on in his neighborhood, as well as good news from around the world. He’s also the dad of two adorable pups: Lucy and Twiggy.

I’ve read and reviewed ALL of John’s fiction including this one, which I snagged as soon as it came out. My review is below, but before we go there: Here’s John:

****

I am so pleased to be with you today, Diana. Thank you for helping spread the word about The Last Drive. You are such an accomplished author, and I have to tell you The Necromancer’s Daughter was one of the best books I have read. I’m not usually a fantasy reader but the blurb for your book had me hooked. You also read and review an impressive number of books which causes me to wonder when you have time to write. By the way, your review of The Last drive put a smile on my face and a spring in my step, and I appreciate your lovely words. Needless to say, I’m a big fan of yours, but I guess I should be talking about the book now.!

Here is the blurb and then we can get to a short excerpt from the book.

The Blurb

In the sequel to Eternal Road – The final stop, Sam and James are reunited to look for two souls, Ryan and Eddie. Ryan was killed in Afghanistan, trying to avoid a schoolyard with his crippled plane. Eddie Rickenbacker, Ryan’s hero, is to guide Ryan to his Eternal Home, and now both are missing.

The higher-ups believe that there has been some interference in Ryan and Eddie’s journey by Lucifer, so Sam and James have the task of finding Ryan and Eddie to get them back on the road despite the evil interference. Unfortunately, the machinations designed to prevent Ryan and Eddy from completing their journey take the pair to horrifying testing grounds. The places visited represent the best work of the Devil. They are the trenches of World War I in France, gladiators at the Roman Coliseum, the sinking Titanic in 1912, Hiroshima 45 minutes before the bomb, and the Auschwitz concentration camp in 1943.

This book is for you if you like plenty of action, strong characters, time travel, and a touch of spiritual and historical fiction. So, join Sam and James as they try to find the missing souls while staying one step ahead of the Prince of Darkness, who is determined to destroy all that is good.

An Excerpt

“Ah, shit. Now you’ve gone and ruined my fun.”

Sam takes a couple of steps toward Buddy. “Who are you?”

“A servant of the devil.”

Sam glowers. “What are you doing here?”

Buddy raises his hand in an affable manner. “Well, I heard you two were out hunting for a couple of lost souls, and I thought it would be a lot of fun to see if I could cause some mayhem.”

“We certainly don’t need that, and I don’t believe you for one minute. Show yourself.”

Buddy frowns. “Don’t say that.”

Sam shrugs. “Why not?”

“Because when you say that, I have to show myself, and I don’t want to.”

“Show yourself.”

The form of Buddy Holly fades, and a curtain of vapor rises to obscure the illusion. The fog dissipates and reveals a hunched troll. James waves the rest of the steam away and bends his knees to look the apparition in the eyes.

The creature demands, “What are you looking at?”

James laughs. “I see a little silhouette of a man.”

“Sing me a song, why don’t you.”

James spreads his arms and turns his palms up. “Okay,

I give. Who are you?”

“You’re kidding, right?”

“Nope. No kidding.”

Sam touches James’s shoulder. “I believe this is a messenger of the devil.”

The figure brightens. “Hey, sweetheart, you got a brain in that beautiful head of yours.”

James turns to Sam. “Is this a joke?”

Sam nods. “In a way. This is a human-like form. You know-who likes to pull little tricks. Remember when I said there was a spirit about? It’s this little squirt.”

The figure stamps his foot. “Who you calling a squirt, bitch?”

“My, my, he has the tongue of the devil.”

James grabs the troll by the shirt. The creature touches James, and a strong shock knocks him to the floor.

James scrambles to his feet. “Try that again, squirt.”

“Be happy to. Just come a little closer.”

Sam puts herself between the two. “Okay, let’s knock it off. What is it you want here?”

“I only have one thing to do, and then I’m free. Would you like to go out later?”

Sam shakes her head. “What do you have to do?”

“Deliver a message from His Lordship.”

“Deliver away.”

“His Lordship would like you to join him for dinner tonight.”

James pulls at Sam’s arm. “Here we go again.”

Sam shrugs James’s hand away. “What James is trying to say is we’ve been through this song and dance before. Go tell your boss we’re not interested in anything he has to say.”

Trailer

Universal Buy Links

The Last Drive is available in paper and Kindle editions on Amazon.

The Kindle edition is on sale for 99¢ through mid-February.

Kindle https://mybook.to/FYmkKr

Paperback https://mybook.to/BCsWV

Diana’s Review

This book follows the adventures of Sam and James of The Eternal Road, but it stands alone perfectly well with the same level of imagination and detail. Spirits James and Sam return to the Eternal Road to search for Ryan, a recently deceased pilot, and his guide Eddie. The two men have gone off track while looking for Ryan’s eternal home. Lucifer has his fingerprints all over this book as he’s determined to have Ryan “join his team.”

Similar to the first book, the search takes Sam and James, and eventually Ryan and Eddie, to quite a few major events in time including the first Super Bowl, the California gold rush, 9/11, the sinking of the Titanic, and the horrors of Auschwitz. Some places they travel to on their own, but in most cases, Lucifer sends them there, wanting them to trade Ryan’s soul for a reprieve.

In some ways, Sam and James are on a quest, tasked with challenges they need to puzzle out as they operate in the past without changing the future. The directive not to fiddle with the future generates some heartbreaking scenes and tough moral decisions. Howell’s research into the tragedies of the past is notable, and there are some brutal scenes including sexual abuse.

Any heaviness in the book is initially countered by Lucifer. He’s sarcastic, snarky, and completely without verbal restraint, at the very least. His banter, particularly with Sam, was entertaining, though it became easier and easier to completely dislike him toward the end. The plot doesn’t follow a straight line, nor is it always logical, but it’s highly imaginative and recommended for fans of fantastical stories about the afterlife.

Author Bio

John is an award-winning author who after an extensive business career began writing full time in 2012. His specialty is thriller fiction novels, but John also writes poetry and short stories. He has written Six other books that are on Amazon in paperback and Kindle editions.

John lives in Lakeway, Texas with his wife and their spoiled rescue pets.